WWE Royal Rumble: 20 Shockers We Want To See

WWE Royal Rumble doesn't take place until Jan. 30, 2011, but it's never too early to look ahead to one of the year's biggest pay-per-view events.

Though we're used to having only three or four weeks between PPVs, we've still got more than five weeks until the first huge show of the new year. 

A lot could change between now and then, but I don't care!

I'm here to discuss one of my favorite pay-per-views and offer my thoughts on what we could see when the stage is bright, the music is loud and 30 WWE superstars go after that coveted WrestleMania title shot.

So get your popcorn ready, because here are 20 shockers we want to see at the 2011 Royal Rumble.

20. The Return of Evan Bourne

Remember when there were rumors that Evan Bourne would get a push?

Yeah, that ship has sailed.

But it would be nice to see Bourne return as a surprise Rumble entrant, if at the very least only to see the Shooting Star Press. 

19. No Mention of the Great Khali's Chances of Winning

How many times do we have to hear from the announcers how big of a threat The Great Khali is?

He's never going to win the Rumble Match.

Hell, I can't even remember the last time he was on WWE TV, so I better not hear Michael Cole say he's the "odds on favorite" to win the match.

Khali got eliminated by Beth Phoenix last year for crying out loud.

18. No Time Killer Segments

Sorry, WWE, but we pay to see people wrestle, not to see a 38 year old who's 7'0", 500 pounds dresssed as Santa Claus.

I even pledge to pay an extra $5 for the Rumble pay-per-view if I can be guaranteed that I won't see that crap on my TV screen.

That stuff should be saved for free television.

So let's make it through one PPV without any nonsense that caters to all the fans under the age of 10.

17. A David Otunga Face Turn

Look, I respect all the work David Otunga has put in, but the guy just doesn't cut it in the ring.

He needs to turn face—it's been teased for months now anyway—because fans can overlook his in-ring inadequacies a lot easier that way.

I'd love to see him work as a mouthpiece for another wrestler, but that's probably not happening.

So just have Otunga split from the Nexus, then move on to a face run that will hopefully help his character.

16. Kane Gets Eliminated After a Couple of Minutes

Kane might be involved in a World Heavyweight Championship match, but he'll probably end up in the Rumble match either way.

The thing is, Kane always has a ridiculous amount of eliminations, and I'm pretty sure he has the most in company history.

Well, it would be a nice change of pace to see the Big Red Monster on the other end of that spectrum.

So here's to hoping that Kane goes eliminationless—yeah, I just made up that word—and finds his way back to the mid-card.

Sorry, Kane fans. I know you'll disagree with me, but I want to see him eliminated rather quickly.

15. Dolph Ziggler in a High Profile Match

Anyone else been really impressed with Dolph Ziggler lately?

Maybe it's just me, but I think the guy's on the verge of super-stardom and would love to see him in a big match at the Rumble pay-per-view.

Ziggler's recent work with John Cena has been really good, and I doubt Ziggler's winning the Rumble.

Give him another chance to shine in a singles match, then.

Another Ziggler-Daniel Bryan match is fine by me.

14. A Quality Divas Match

The Divas Tag Team Tables Match at TLC which featured LayCool against Natalya and Beth Phoenix wasn't great, but this is the WWE.

Any Divas match that gets more than two minutes and doesn't feature Rosa Mendes or the Bella Twins is a step in the right direction.

So I'm holding out hope that the WWE keeps the ball rolling with a good Divas Championship match between Natalya and Melina at the Royal Rumble.

That's really not too much to ask, is it?

13. Another Major Turn

I doubt the WWE has the gonads to turn one of its top superstars heel, but I think we still could see a major turn in some way or another.

I know the IWC loves heel turns, but I'm going with a face turn for an up and coming superstar: Drew McIntyre.

He teased turning face on Smackdown last night, and he hasn't done much as a heel as of late.

Why not make him a fan favorite? And why not do it (somehow) at the Rumble pay-per-view?

12. The Miz Vs. John Morrison in a 25-Minute Match for the WWE Championship

If anyone on the WWE creative team has a brain—that's a big if, I know—WWE Champion The Miz should face John Morrison for the title at the Royal Rumble.

But I don't want a measly 10 or 12-minute match with a tainted finish. I want a 25-minute, 4-star match that will be a Match of the Year candidate.

No one's really expecting the WWE to give us that, but it is a big-four pay-per-view.

Make that match happen. It's how stars are born. 

11. A Payoff to the Michael Cole Heel Persona

I constantly find myself questioning why Michael Cole shows an unhealthy obsession with The Miz but also loves John Cena.

Cole needs to decide whether he likes all heels or all faces, because it doesn't make much sense to like some of both.

I've really been waiting for Cole's love for The Miz to have some kind of big payoff storyline-wise, but I'm still waiting...still waiting...still waiting.

I hope that will change at the Royal Rumble.

10. Triple H Losing To Sheamus

If Triple H returns to feud with Sheamus, the chances of the Celtic Warrior winning their Royal Rumble match is about .000001.

That's exactly my point.

Imagine what it would do for Sheamus if he beat down the King of Kings again and got the win. 

Sheamus already generates some good heel heat, but this would put him on Vickie Guerrero's level in that department. 

9. The Official Implosion of the Nexus

Even though the Nexus wasn't on WWE TV this week, I highly doubt they're gone forever.

They'll probably be back next week, and they'll likely have a major role at the Royal Rumble.

Well, that's all fine and dandy, but that needs to be the last time we see the Nexus.

The John Cena-Nexus storyline started with so much promise but is ending with a faint whimper. 

At the Rumble, it's time to end it once and for all.

8. The Debut of Tyler Black

Tyler Black—excuse me, Seth Rollins—should not be on any season of NXT.

He should make his way straight from FCW to the main roster, and he should do it at the Royal Rumble.

Why? It's the perfect time to have Rollins make an immediate impact.

He can enter the match at No. 15 or so and clean house before eventually being eliminated by a top star.

Already it will have set up Rollins' first feud and have him look like a main eventer in the making.

7. CM Punk Beats John Cena

John Cena and CM Punk have kicked off their feud, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see those two in a match at the Royal Rumble.

Although I could see a full-on Super Cena toppling the "Straight Edge Superstar," I'd love nothing more than a Punk victory here.

Imagine this: Cena has Punk up for the Attitude Adjustment, Punk elbows Cena in the head and lands on his feet, Cena turns around, then BAM! Punk nails Cena with the Go-To-Sleep.

The ref counts...1, 2, 3.

What? A guy can dream, can't he?

6. Reveal Who the Anonymous Raw GM Is

"And I quote..."

It's the phrase that's been going on for what seems like forever.

And it has to stop.

5. No Cena or Orton at the End of the Rumble

I'm not anti-John Cena and I'm a Randy Orton fan, but we really don't need them to be involved in the Royal Rumble finish.

Why? Because if they are, then that means they're winning.

Just have Cena and Orton eliminated toward the end—with seven or eight wrestlers left—rather than have them as two of the final three.

That's all I ask of you, WWE. Please do it!

4. The Return of Chris Jericho

Near the end of the 30-Man Royal Rumble Match, 29 wrestlers have already entered the ring.

But 20,000 fans will be on their feet and wondering who will be the 30th superstar to enter the match.

Then, all of a sudden, you hear it: "Break the walls down..."

Out comes Chris Jericho, making his long awaited return to the WWE after a few months away from the company.

Welcome back, Chris, welcome back.

3. Jim Ross Back at the Announcer's Table

There's a good chance Jim Ross will never be a WWE commentator ever again, but there have also been rumors that Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler have been pushing for a Ross return.

And with CM Punk now gone from the announcer's table and Vince McMahon high up on three-man announce teams, there's an open spot on the Raw announce team.

I think you get the point.

2. Christian Returning...and Winning the Rumble Match

Edge is the World Heavyweight Champion, and Christian is set to return from injury anytime now.

It's like the WWE actually planned this in advance. I'm in shock!

Edge should retain his title at the Rumble pay-per-view, Christian should win the Royal Rumble match and the feud that 90 percent of wrestling fans want to see should culminate during the main event of WrestleMania.

1. A Fresh Face Winning the Rumble Match

Take your pick: Alberto Del Rio, Christian, Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler?

We just wanna see someone who hasn't been a World Champion win the 30-Man Royal Rumble Match.

No Randy Orton, John Cena or Triple H. They don't need it.

But those other guys do.